Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Oh no, my young Jedi. You will find that it is you who are mistaken, about a great many things.

Contrary to the idea that somehow Christ is again re-sacrificed in the Lord's Supper ceremony, I share this Erwin Lutzer tidbit:
However, the New Testament Book of Hebrews explicitly states that Christ's sacrifice was sufficient for God,* thus it was offered once for all. Four contrasts are made between Christ's sacrifice and those of the Old Testament (Heb 10:10-14):
  1. In the Old Testament many priests offered sacrifices; in fact, they worked in shifts. But now there is only one High Priest who lives forever.
  2. Many sacrifices were offered, day after day, whenever sin was committed. But Christ offered "one sacrifice for sins for all time." His work ended the sacrificial system forever.
  3. The Old Testament sacrifices could only take care of past sins--which was the reason they had to be reoffered. But of Christ we read, "For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified" (v.14).
  4. The former priests were not allowed to sit down while working their shift. But Christ sat down on the right hand of God the Father because his work was finished. (The Doctrines that Divide, 109)
10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:10-14, ESV)
*N.B. In addition to these contrasts, key to an understanding of the atonement is that Christ's sacrifice was sufficient for God. Plus, nothing else could appease His wrath or justice, so anything else being offered in its place, or in addition to Christ's sacrifice, is an insult to God who accepted it and to the Christ who offered it.

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